


The Other Spy's Lover

by leafpool310



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-03-08 06:04:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18888655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leafpool310/pseuds/leafpool310
Summary: Professor Snape is killed right after Voldemort returns, leaving the Order of the Phoenix in need of a spy. Enter Marcus Flint, who's been forced to join the death eaters against his will, and Katie Bell, his fiancee, who's training to be a healer.





	1. Chapter 1

Katie absentmindedly tapped her quill on the desk, staring off into space as Binns rambled on and on about the wars. She really should have been paying attention, she knew that; however her mind was on other things, more important things then stuff she’d heard a dozen times prior. 

Namely, the current war that was going on behind the walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Of course, there were hundreds of witches and wizards who weren’t aware or didn’t believe that this war was going on, but Katie wasn’t stupid. She knew Cedric Diggory’s death the year prior hadn’t been an accident, and what with Professor Snape’s body being found three weeks after - well, that was no accident either. 

“Hey,” came Angelina’s voice from beside her and she looked over at the other girl. “You okay?” she mouthed, and Katie just shook her head, twisting her quill around and around in her hand, the glint of the family band on her ring finger momentarily distracting her before she quickly shook her head, and instead tried to focus on what Binns was saying. 

When history of magic ended, Katie slowly gathered her things, shoving them back into her bag before getting up. She was supposed to head to Transfiguration after, but instead she found herself up in the Owlery, sitting on the small bench on the balcony, her small tawny owl sitting on her shoulder. She was still sitting there when Fred and George Weasley entered an hour later, talking loudly. They quieted when they saw her sitting there. 

“McGonagall wondered where you were at,” Fred said, sitting down on her right side, as George sat down on her left. “We told her you were sick.” 

“Thanks,” Katie told them softly, still staring out at the sky. 

“You still haven’t heard from him?” George asked grimly, and Katie shook her head. “You’ll hear from him soon.” 

When Marcus Flint had first asked Katie out three years ago, she’d originally said no. He was a Slytherin, after all, she a Gryffindor, and they played for rival teams. There was also the fact his father had died in Azkaban after serving you-know-who before his disappearance, and Katie’s parents were aurors who helped put the elder Flint in prison in the first place. Their match would have been terrible, she’d thought. 

Somehow, though, over the course of her fourth year, Marcus had worn her down, and they’d gone out for lunch during a Hogsmeade weekend. Katie, much to her surprise, found she enjoyed spending time with Marcus, so they went out again the next Hogsmeade weekend. And the next. Before long, they were spending most of their time together, and Katie found that they had quite a bit in common, despite their backgrounds. Her father wasn’t happy with her relationship, but even he agreed that Marcus wasn’t his father, and so they didn’t complain too much. 

Then just the year prior, Harry Potter had come out of the Triwizard Tournament third task, clutching Cedric Diggory’s dead body and claiming that you-know-who had returned, and she and Marcus had just looked at each other, knowing things were about to change. 

They had separated for the summer, her going back to her family and he going to visit his uncle - and he’d come to her home in late August, clutching his left forearm, telling her it was either he take the mark or be killed. She’d begged for him to go to Dumbledore, hoping the older man could help, and Marcus  had given her his family ring and disappeared. She hadn’t seen him since. 

She’d come back to school in September for her NEWTs year, hoping to talk with Dumbledore and learn whether Marcus had had the chance to speak with him, but the headmaster seemed to go out of his way to avoid her. It was probably her imagination, but she soon gave up. She’d confided in the Weasley twins her fears, and they’d attempted to cheer her up. But it was now nearing Christmas, and she’d heard nothing. 

“Katie,” Fred said now. “If he was - if he was dead, or captured, you would have heard.” 

“Would I?” she questioned, looking at her owl and stroking her wing. “Dumbledore refuses to talk to me. It’s like he knows I want to speak with him, and he just leaves before I even get the chance to get near him. The papers are denying you-know-who’s return, so it’s not like they would mention Marcus has disappeared after being given the dark mark.” Katie dropped her head, letting her dark hair fall in front of her face, hiding the tears that slid down. “Marcus’ mum died last year, so it’s not like I can write her, and his uncle’s the one that forced him to get the mark in the first place.” She looked back up, and when she next spoke, her voice came out broken. “What am I supposed to do?” 

Fred and George looked at each other over her head. “We don’t know,” they said together. 

Days passed, and Katie ate less and less with each meal. She was aware Fred and George watched her nervously, and McGonagall too, but she just had no appetite. How could she eat when the man she loved was who knows where, his life in danger? 

That weekend was a Hogsmeade visit, and the Weasley twins coerced her into going down into the village with them, threatening to write to her parents if she didn’t. She’d gone, but was barely active, silently following behind the twins as they went into the various shops. 

It was towards the end of the visit, when they were down by the shrieking shack, when there was a crack and Marcus Flint apparated in before her very eyes. Katie stared at her boyfriend in shock for a minute before his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed to the ground. 

Fred and George rushed for a teacher, only finding Hagrid, who lifted Marcus up. The moment he was touched Marcus let out a cry of pain, a cry of pain that went right to Katie’s heart. 

The small group rushed to the school, aware of the attention they were gathering as they rushed. They got to the hospital wing and Hagrid, as gently as he could, deposited Marcus on a bed and hurried out to get Madame Pomfrey, who’d gone to dinner. Fred and George offered to stay, but Katie sent them out, well aware that when Marcus was no longer in pain he’d be ashamed to have been seen like that. So she and Marcus were left alone, and she slipped her hand into his. 

“I’m right here, Marcus,” she whispered, brushing his hair away from his forehead. Marcus let out another groan, his back arching from the pain. His grip on Katie’s hand tightened, but she didn’t let go, not even when it felt like her fingers would fall off. 

Madame Pomfrey finally entered, and she hurried over with a vial of potion, forcing Marcus’ mouth open and dripping it down into his throat. It took a moment, but soon Marcus relaxed, his body sinking onto the bed and his eyes fluttering closed. Katie withheld a sob of relief as Madame Pomfrey looked at her kindly. 

“The headmaster wishes to speak with you,” the healer told her. “He’s waiting in my office.” Katie looked at Marcus, whose breathing was calm now as he’d passed out from the exhaustion and relief from pain, and she gently stroked his face. 

“I’ll be right back,” she said softly, kissing him on his forehead and releasing his hand, slipping through the still hospital wing to the back office where the headmaster waited. Whether he’d been there the entire time or had flooed in from his own office she didn’t know, but the man hadn’t gone past her, in either case. 

The headmaster was seated behind Madame Pomfrey’s desk, his fingers linked together on the wood. He saw Katie and his grim face didn’t change, instead gesturing for her to take a seat. She did so, nervously biting her lip. He’d been avoiding her for three months, and now all of a sudden wished to speak with her, and she knew that couldn’t be good. 

“Miss Bell,” Dumbledore said, his voice firm. “What I have to tell you stays in this room. It does not even go to the Weasley twins, are we understood?” Katie was frozen, and couldn’t react one way or another. “If you cannot answer me, Miss Bell, I cannot be honest with you and will have to ask you to instead go back to Gryffindor tower while Madame Pomfrey and I take care of Mr. Flint.” 

“I - okay. I won’t tell Fred and George.” Her leg was shaking with her anxiety. Even with her reassurance, Dumbledore eyed her hesitantly, before he let out a small sigh and began to speak. 

“Over the summer, Mr. Flint came to me with quite a strange tale. He claimed his uncle had forced him to get the dark mark from Voldemort-” Katie flinched, but the headmaster didn’t seem to notice. He continued to speak, his voice colder than she’d ever heard it. “I have heard this story many times, however, so I sent him away.” Katie jerked her head up, staring at the headmaster in disbelief. He’d been hers and Marcus’ only hope, and he’d just sent him away? Dumbledore sensed her shock, and continued, on to a seemingly different subject. “I’m sure you are aware that Professor Snape was killed this past summer?” He didn’t wait for a response. “During the last war, Professor Snape turned against Voldemort and began to spy for me, getting me enough information that I was - with help from the Order of the Phoenix, which I will get to in a moment - able to save lives that otherwise would have been lost. Unfortunately, upon his return, Voldemort killed him, and therefore we lost our spy.” 

“What does any of this have to do with Marcus?” Katie demanded, after a lengthy silence, glaring up at the headmaster. “Marcus - Marcus is hurt, and you’re rambling on about a man who is dead and has nothing to do with us!” 

“If you wait, Miss Bell, I will get to it.” Katie sat back in her seat, angrily crossing her arms. Dumbledore continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Mr. Flint came back to Hogwarts towards the end of the summer, quite bruised up, but with information on Voldemort’s movements. Using his information, we were able to save the lives of Amelia Bones and a young lady named Nymphadora Tonks, both of whom have now joined the fight against Voldemort and his followers.” He eyed Katie over the rims of his glasses. “Marcus has replaced Severus Snape as our spy,” he said, finally getting to the point. 

Katie’s heart dropped down into her stomach. “He - he’ll be hurt.” 

Dumbledore nodded grimly. “This is a possibility, yes. Actually-” he looked toward the door. “It is the reality. Marcus is doing the light side a great service, at a disservice to himself. He will need someone by his side to help him. I understand the two of you are in a long term relationship?” 

“We - we are engaged to be married at the end of the summer,” Katie stuttered, twisting her ring around her finger again, and again. “But my parents are - are aurors. The - you-know-who wouldn’t want me as a death eater, and I can’t-” 

“My dear, that is not what I’m suggesting.” His voice was soft now, gentle, as he eyed Katie from across the table. There was a pause, as if he was adjusting his thoughts. “What is your plan for your future?” 

“Oh. Um.” Katie thought for a minute, aware of the headmaster’s intent stare. “I - my parents want me to be an auror, like they are,” she said, but she shook her head. “I guess I’ve always been interested in becoming a healer. I know I need at least Exceeds Expectations on five of my NEWTs, and I think I’ve been doing well enough to get them.” She paused again, looking at the headmaster. “Why are you wanting to know?” she asked doubtfully. 

“The Order of the Phoenix is, at best, a vigilante group that I began to take down Voldemort and his followers,” Dumbledore said, seemingly changing the subject. 

“Okay?” Katie said slowly. 

Dumbledore looked back at her. “We only accept those who are out of school. However, we do need more healers, or, at least, healers in training. If you would be willing to take your NEWTs in January, I could, potentially, get you into a fast track healer’s program, so that by the end of the school year, you would be a fully licensed healer. This would benefit not only you, and the Order, but Marcus as well.” 

Katie stared at the headmaster, bewildered. “I - I’ll have to think about it,” she said finally, rising from the seat. “If that’s - that’s okay.” 

Dumbledore simply gave her a quick nod. “That’s perfectly fine,” he said, and rose from his own seat. “We will speak again next weekend?” After receiving a small nod from Katie, he swept out of the office and out of the hospital wing entirely. 

Marcus didn’t wake up for two hours, but Katie didn’t leave his side once. Madame Pomfrey tried rushing her out closer to curfew, but she’d just looked at the older woman, who had finally relented. Katie briefly wondered if Dumbledore had run the healing program by the school nurse first, or if he’d come up with it on his own and kept it to himself until the opportunity arose to bring it up to her. 

When Marcus finally opened his eyes, he looked surprised to see Katie sitting by his side, reading a book that she promptly shut when she noticed he’d woken. “Hey,” she said softly, taking his hand in hers and smiling. “How are you feeling?” 

“What-” He looked around, confused. “Where am I?” 

“Hogwarts,” Madame Pomfrey declared, bustling back in. “You were found in Hogsmeade by Hagrid. He carried you here.” Marcus closed his eyes, dropping his head back on the pillow. “Now, I must ask what spells were used on you. I’ve given you a general pain relief, but it won’t last long and I’d rather give you something specific to what is causing the pain.” Marcus hesitated, and Pomfrey pursed her lips. “Come now, I don’t have all evening. I am quite sure people will be wondering where you are soon.” 

Marcus looked away from Katie when he spoke. “The Cruciatus, to begin with,” he said in a quiet tone, and Katie tightened her grip on his hand, reassuring herself he was still there. “For an hour. I failed to-” He stopped, looking back at Katie, then back at the nurse. “I displeased him,” he finished. He squeezed Katie’s hand once before releasing it. “I am well now, I have to get back to my uncle’s house. He’s waiting for me to return.” 

Madame Pomfrey clearly wasn’t pleased, but Marcus was no longer a student and she had no reason to hold him, so she gave him pain relief potions before he left, Katie walking out with him. 

The pair didn’t say a word to each other until they’d reached the front doors. “Please owl me,” Katie said quietly, taking both of her hands in his. “I’ve missed you. I didn’t even know if you were-” She couldn’t say the word, but judging by the look on Marcus’ face, he knew what she meant, for he softened, brushing her hair back and burying his face into her shoulder. Katie held him, not wanting to let go. “Dumbledore told me everything,” she whispered. “And he’s given me an option to help.” He pulled away. “Just - I’m going to take his choice,” she said. “I’ll be taking my NEWTs next month and I won’t have to stay at Hogwarts any longer. We’ll be able to see each other more.” 

“Is that what you really want?” Marcus asked her softly, looking her in the eyes. “Is that what  you want, or are you only doing it for me?” ‘

“Of course I’m doing it for you,” Katie breathed. “But I want to. I still want to marry you.” 

Marcus pulled away from her completely, and she looked at him in confusion. “I don’t know if that’s still possible,” he confessed, and Katie’s eyes burned with tears. “I will see. And I will write you, I promise. But I have to go, Uncle Lux will be waiting for me by now.” 

And then he was gone, leaving Katie staring at the doors as they locked themselves after him, before turning and slowly making her way up to the Gryffindor tower. 

Fred and George were waiting for her in the common room, but she quietly bid them goodnight and a promise to talk to them in the morning, before going up to her dorm and nearly collapsing onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. 

Even knowing you-know-who had returned, she hadn’t, she supposed, really thought about what it would really mean. Cedric had died, and he was six months older than her, and then Professor Snape had died - but she hadn’t thought past that, thought to what would be needed before the wizard came back out into the open. Healers and aurors, certainly, but the idea of a spy had never crossed her mind. She didn’t think it had really crossed many people’s minds, because to betray you-know-who meant certain death, and not many witches or wizards were that brave, at least not the ones that willingly got the mark or were forced to, like Marcus. 

She rolled over onto her stomach, letting a groan of frustration out into her pillow so that it was muffled, before rolling back onto her side. Tomorrow, she’d find the headmaster and let him know she was willing to join the Order and go into the healer training program, but for now, she closed her eyes and let herself drift into a fitful sleep. 

The next morning she’d barely made it out of her dorm before the twins ambushed her, each taking one of her arms and leading her back up to the Owlery. 

“I’m not really supposed to tell you,” Katie said at once, earning a glare from each of them. “Dumbledore said!” she protested, but Fred crossed his arms. “I - I can tell you part of it,” she said finally, knowing they weren’t going to let her leave unless she confessed something. “I’m taking my NEWTs next month and joining an early acceptance healer’s program.” They gaped at her, and she let out a little laugh at their surprise. 

“You mean-” 

“You’re leaving us?” 

Katie sighed, sinking onto the bench. “I have to,” she said, after a moment. They looked disapproving. “I can’t tell you why, but I have to. I’m needed.” 

They looked at each other. “Fine,” Fred said. “You have our permission.” 

Katie laughed again. “I wasn’t aware I needed it!” 

“Of course you did,” George said with a grin. “You need our permission for everything.” 

“Going to class-” 

“Skipping class-” 

“Okay, stop,” Katie interrupted, before the two could really get going. Once they started, she knew it would be awhile before they would stop. “You know,” she said, suddenly realizing something. “Angelina’s going to kill me, this means she’ll have to find another chaser.” 

“No!” 

After talking to the twins, Katie headed to Dumbledore’s office, realizing after reaching it that she didn’t know his password. She stood there, uncertain, for a few minutes before the gargoyle started moving and Professor McGonagall came down the stairs. She spotted Katie and smiled. “Ah. Just the girl I was coming to find. Professor Dumbledore wanted to speak to you.” 

“Thanks Professor,” Katie said quietly, starting up the steps. She got up three before McGonagall called her name, and she turned. 

“Congratulations on your engagement, I understand.” 

Katie forced a smile. “Thank you, Professor,” she repeated, going up the rest of the stairs, hesitating briefly before knocking on the headmaster’s office door. Following his quiet response, she opened it, surprised to see not only the headmaster, but the new potions professor, Slughorn, and the new defense teacher, Professor Fenwick. She hesitated at the door. 

“You may have a seat, Miss Bell,” Dumbledore said calmly. He looked at the other two professors. “We will finish our meeting at a later time.” They both nodded, and left, leaving Katie and the headmaster alone. 

“I - I understand you wanted to see me, headmaster?” Katie said, fidgeting a bit in her chair, her nerves nearly boiling over. 

“I am aware I told you that you had until the end of week, however, there are circumstances that have popped up, and I do need an answer sooner rather than later. Have you thought about it?” 

“I’ll do it,” Katie informed him, crossing her legs and then promptly uncrossing them. “For Marcus - I’ll - I’ll do it.” 

“Excellent,” the headmaster said, rifling through some of the papers on his desk. “You will need to take the NEWTs in-” 

“Potions, transfiguration, herbology, charms, and defense against the dark arts,” Katie interrupted, blushing when Dumbledore eyed her. “I - I’ve done the research, before. It’s the only reason I continued in potions with - with Professor Snape. He didn’t like Gryffindors much,” she added, biting her lip when she was done speaking. 

“Yes, well,” Dumbledore said calmly. “He didn’t like students much, in fact.” He folded his hands together. “Miss Bell, this is your last chance. Are you absolutely sure that this is what you want? Taking your NEWTs and leaving Hogwarts early, not to mention joining the Order, does put you in a certain amount of danger you wouldn’t normally be in.” 

“I’m sure,” Katie said firmly, thinking of Marcus collapsing in front of her the night before. She swallowed. “I want to help.” 

“Excellent,” The headmaster said. “Just excellent.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Christmas didn’t exactly feel like Christmas that year. Katie stayed at Hogwarts, studying like crazy for the NEWTs that would be taken at the end of January. She’d told Angelina and the rest of the Quidditch team her plans, and while they weren’t exactly pleased, they worked around it; Ginny Weasley replacing her as chaser. 

Katie had never been an avid student, but she found being able to dive into her studies proved a good distraction. Having to cram the remainder of what would have been her Hogwarts education into a few weeks worth of studying was difficult, but she was aware she had a good motivation. 

Her mind was on Marcus. She hadn’t heard from him since that day he’d showed up at Hogsmeade, but Dumbledore had kept up communication and let her know on a weekly basis that he was still okay. This kept her going, kept her motivated, kept her - scared. 

This she didn’t admit to Dumbledore or the twins, the fear that had crept in her and twisted around her heart, the fear that didn’t leave her for even a second as the war raged silently outside of Hogwarts. 

By the middle of January her brain had nearly turned to mush, but she'd gotten through the accelerated classes, and was nearly ready for the NEWTs. The professors were quizzing her nightly on the curriculum, and so far she’d aced their tests. Dumbledore himself brought her her test scores at the end of January, asking her if she was ready to take the exams. 

She agreed. 

The next week of her life was the most stressful she’d ever encountered. Other students typically had more time; she would have had more time if she wasn’t doing it for Marcus. She didn’t regret it, however, and at the end of the week,  when her NEWT exams were over, she slept for a full day. 

When Katie woke up, it was the next morning and her body felt heavy. She blinked slowly, attempting to wake her brain up. She stood up even slower, stretching each limb individually to get the stiffness out of them. 

She headed down to breakfast alone. Her NEWT results wouldn’t be in until the next week, and so she had a full week of free time that she wasn’t sure what she would do with. The weekend was a Hogsmeade weekend again, so she was looking forward to that; she’d written Marcus and asked him to meet her in the Hog’s Head. She hadn’t yet gotten  response yet, but she hoped she’d get one soon. 

Fred and George were sitting at the table already, talking in a low voice. They quieted when she sat next to them, before continuing on the subject of their future joke shop, one they planned on opening in Diagon Alley. Where they’d gotten the money for their planned venture, they hadn’t said, and Katie knew them well enough not to push the subject. She knew they’d only change the subject if she tried getting more information out of them. 

“What do you think?” Fred asked her suddenly, and Katie looked at him blankly, having gotten distracted by Dumbledore entering with Madame Pomfrey. “About the skiving snackboxes?” 

“Oh, erm-” 

“Never mind,” George said, laughing. “It’s clear you’ve got something else on your mind. Want to talk about it?” Katie just shrugged as the morning post swooped in, and Alberto, the Flint family’s owl, came straight to her, sitting on table in front of her with his leg sticking out. She quickly untied the small scroll and gave him a bite of biscuit before unrolling the message from Marcus, saying he’d meet her in Hogsmeade after lunch and that he’d already cleared it with Dumbledore. She looked up at the headmaster herself and found he was watching her. When he saw she'd noticed him, he gave a small nod in her direction. 

She cheered up considerably for the rest of breakfast, even after Fred and George went to their lessons and she took a trip to the library, hoping for some time to relax before the trek to Hogsmeade. Seeing Marcus again was going to be wonderful, but she couldn’t help the tightness in her chest when she thought about the shape he’d been in last she’d seen him, the amount of pain he’d been in and how she’d been powerless to help. 

While the rest of the people in Hogwarts were heading down to the Great Hall for lunch, she was already out the front doors and down the path to Hogsmeade, hoping to get there before Marcus did. But when she walked into the Hog’s Head he was already there, a glass of firewhiskey sitting in front of him, untouched. She walked up behind him and put her arms around his neck, but he flinched away from her. Shocked, she took a step back, even as he turned and gave her an apologetic look. “I’m sorry,” Marcus said after a long minute. “It’s been - it’s been a rough week, and I didn’t know you were here already.” 

Katie just sat in the seat next to him, ordering her own drink, a butterbeer, and taking a sip before speaking. “How have you been?” she questioned him finally. He shrugged, his eyes downcast. “Marcus? Why’d you invite me here if we weren’t going to talk?” 

“I missed you,” he said, looking up at her. “I - he’s -” he stopped, looking as if he was trying to find the right words. “Uncle Lux wants me to go to Paris for a few weeks this summer. There’s a dark arts trainer there that he - the dark lord, that is, not Uncle Lux - wants me to study under, but I have to take a leave from absence at the shop and I can’t do that until I’ve been there a year. He agreed that the wait would be acceptable.” 

“And?” Katie pressed, knowing there was more than just that. Marcus held up a finger, picking up his firewhiskey and taking several gulps before looking back at her. 

“I was thinking,” he said, his voice low, “that we could marry before I’m sent, and we could use the Paris trip as our honeymoon. I’ll be busy during the day, but the nights would be completely ours. If you’re up for it, that is.” 

“When in the summer?” Katie asked him, taking another sip of the butterbeer. 

“Towards the beginning of August, until the end of September.” He took another few large gulps of firewhiskey, emptying the glass, before he spoke again. “Regardless of what’s happening around us, my personal plans stay the same. I will have you as my wife, if you will still have me as your husband.” 

Katie’s voice cracked slightly as she spoke. “Of course I will, Marcus,” she told him, but was still surprised when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple, gold wedding band, passing it over to her. “When is it you’re wanting to marry?” 

“You’re seventeen now,” Marcus said, looking her in the eyes. “I’ve already discussed it with Dumbledore. As Chief Warlock, he has the ability to marry us himself.” Katie watched him as he seemed to try and find the words he wanted. “I want to get married before Uncle Lux or your family found out our intentions,” he said finally. “Before the end of February, if possible.” 

Katie tapped her fingers on the table absentmindedly as she thought about it. She and Marcus had been talking about marriage for a year now, but they’d always said after she graduated Hogwarts. Although, she thought, she had technically finished her schooling; she’d only reside at Hogwarts now for the healer’s training, unless she could convince Dumbledore to allow her to rent a small home in the village - she had enough money saved up for that, after all, and Marcus would have his part of the Flint account at Gringotts, too. 

She told him what she was thinking, and he nodded slowly. “Yes, I think we could rent a small place in Hogsmeade. It would be no problem for me to get to work, and you could either walk to the castle or floo to get to your lessons.” He stood up, holding his hand out for her to grasp. “Let’s go see what’s for rent, shall we?” Katie laced her fingers with his, but before they could leave, Aberforth Dumbledore stopped them. 

“I have a place,” he said gruffly. “I don’t stay there no more, I sleep above the bar usually. If you two want it.” Katie and Marcus exchanged a look. 

“Why are you helping us?” Marcus asked him finally. Aberforth shrugged. 

“Doing my part,” was all he said. He reached into his pocket and slid a set of keys across the counter. “Rent’s hundred galleons a month. If you want it. Last house down the street, right across from that flowery shop, Madam Puddifoot’s. Come back after you’ve looked at it, yeah?” 

Katie and Marcus exchanged another glance, speechless, before Marcus stuttered a thanks and they left the bar, going the ten minutes to Madam Puddifoot’s and staring at the small place across the street from it. When Marcus had unlocked the door and they entered, they finally spoke. 

“I don’t understand why he’s offering us this place,” Katie said softly, as they entered into an open space, looking around. Windows lined one of the walls, and she glanced out them, into the street. “From what I’ve heard, the Dumbledores don’t get along.” 

“I’ve heard that too,” Marcus said, stepping into the kitchen and running a hand along the island counter. “Maybe he’s just being nice?” 

“For no reason?” Katie scoffed, opening a door into the bathroom. The large tub caught her eye, and she sighed. “I’m just worried about this. What if he - he finds out you’re renting from Aberforth Dumbledore? Won’t he suspect something?” 

But Marcus shook his head. “I don’t think so,” He said slowly. “It puts me closer to Dumbledore, and he’s been wanting someone close to Dumbledore. Maybe he’ll be happy with it.” The end of his sentence made Katie scoff, but she turned to him. 

“Do you want to do this? Can we afford a hundred galleons a month?” she asked him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. She felt him nod above her. 

“Yes we can.” She pulled away, and he grinned at her. “Should we go back to Aberforth and tell him we’ll do it?” Katie nodded. 

* * *

 

Marcus went with her back up to the castle, and they caught Dumbledore before he’d gone down for supper, and explained their plans and what Aberforth had done for them - for the younger Dumbledore had agreed to waive the first month’s rent so they could slowly move in, and by the time March began they’d be married and ready to live there. The headmaster seemed a little uncertain of his brother’s intentions, but he did agree that was probably for the best. They made plans for Katie to go to Diagon Alley in a few days to get some dress robes for the wedding - which would take place in a week. 

It seemed a little rushed to Katie, but she was ready to be Mrs Flint, whether her parents knew about it or not, but she’d asked if she could invite the twins. There was some hesitation on this, but she assured both the headmaster and her soon to be husband that they would keep the secret if she asked, and so the two men agreed. They did need two witnesses, after all, and Marcus didn’t have anyone he wanted there. 

So after Marcus went back home - to start packing his things and give his landlord a notice - she went to Gryffindor tower, and caught Fred and George coming back from supper, and asked them quietly if they’d go with her to the owlery. They seemed to suspect something was going on, and quickly agreed, so the three of them trekked up to the owlery in silence, the twins waiting until she was settled on the bench to speak. 

And so she explained - about her upcoming marriage, the house they were renting, all of it - and asked them if they’d be witnesses. It took them two seconds after she finished speaking to answer - a loud “yes” ringing in her ears even hours later. 

That week was one of the longest she’d ever experienced. Fred and George ended up going with her to Diagon Alley to get the robes, suggesting such outlandish outfits that had Katie’s stomach hurting from all the laughter, until they finally found the right ones - a pale green that clung to her but not too closely, a little low cut but not so much so that she was hanging out of the top. When she’d stepped out of the changing area in those robes, Fred and George had been speechless, and she knew that it was perfect. She paid, was assured the robes would be mailed to her first thing in the morning, and then the three of them went out for lunch.  

Sitting at the Leaky Cauldron, Fred voiced his concerns for the first time. 

“I know you love Marcus,” he began, hesitant. “But are you sure this is what you want? To get married at seventeen? You were supposed to have six months left of school.” 

“Is Fred Weasley really advising me on caution?” Katie questioned with a small laugh. When he didn’t smile, she sighed heavily, putting down her fork and linking her hands together. “I want this,” she said finally. Fred didn’t say anything, watching her intently. “I know you guys didn’t get along with Marcus when he was still at school, but he’s not that - that brutal Slytherin in the Quidditch games. That’s not who he is. He’s kind, and thoughtful, and funny, and determined that there will be little loss during this - this war.” She stopped for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip. “Marcus is - he’s one of the bravest men I know, and while I may only be seventeen, I know that he’s what I want, forever, and nothing’s going to change my mind, I promise you that.” 

“We just want you happy,” George said, and she smiled at him. 

“I know,” Katie said. “And this  _ will _ make me happy.” 

They flooed back to the castle an hour later. 

Before Katie knew it, she was waking up on her wedding day. Her NEWTs results had come in the day before, and she’d passed everything somehow, and so Dumbledore had moved her out of the Gryffindor tower into a private room for her remaining two weeks at the castle. Angelina and Alicia still didn’t know about her upcoming marriage, and while she’d wanted to invite them, four would be too many, and she couldn’t guarantee their silence like she could Fred and George’s. 

She dressed herself, and stared in the mirror, debating what to do with her hair. It would be her and four men, so none of them would be too interested, but she wanted the pictures to look good for in the future, when more people could know about their marriage. She braided the sides and tied them back together in a half bun, and slipped on the heels she’d had in storage. 

In just over an hour, she would be Mrs. Katie Flint. 


	3. Chapter 3

Even when Katie was standing across from Marcus, their hands interlocked and tied with a ribbon, Dumbledore presiding over it all, she couldn't believe it was actually happening. For over a year she’d dreamed of marrying Marcus, and she’d dreamed of her wedding day for even longer. She’d never quite imagined it would turn out like this, with Fred and George and Dumbledore the only other people in the room, but she didn’t mind too much; she was marrying the man she loved and that was enough. 

As Dumbledore performed the ceremony, the ribbons glowed with a light, and yet Marcus and Katie’s eyes didn’t leave each other. Even when she heard a loud sniff coming from one of the twins she didn’t move, his hands in hers and their connected eyes being the only things keeping her still on her feet. 

When the ribbons stopped glowing and softly floated to the ground, and Dumbledore announced they were married in the eyes of the law and magic,  Katie nearly sagged to the ground in relief. Marcus wrapped Katie into a hug and held her tight, held her so close her breathing was a little tight.  Katie found she didn't mind at all. 

Fred, George, Katie,  and Marcus went to the hogshead after the ceremony,  Aberforth giving them a free meal and a private room to celebrate. After dinner the twins went back to the castle, while Katie and Marcus went back to their new home. 

It didn't have much in it; a week wasn't long enough to completely move in everything they owned, but when they walked in they got a huge surprise  - the entire place had been furnished. 

The young couple had been unsure how they would fill the place up with furniture. They had a bit of money, of course,  but hadn't wanted to spend an undue amount when they didn't know when Katie would finish her healers training and start getting paid. But coming in to see someone - they weren’t sure who - had filled it up with furniture (and not cheap furniture, either) was a bit of a load off their minds. It was one less thing to worry about. 

“This is a bit of a surprise,” Marcus said dryly, collapsing into the sofa. He looked up at Katie with a grin. “Come here, Mrs Flint.” 

With a laugh, she sank down next to him, letting his arms wrap around her again and hold her close. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” she whispered. She felt his chuckle. 

“As have I, Kate. As have I.” 

The beginning of their marriage was, to say the least, rough. With Marcus working all hours and going to various meetings - death eater and Order of the Phoenix ones - and Katie working hard to complete her healer’s certification before the pair went to France for the summer - they barely saw each other, let alone spent quality time together. What time they did get to spend together was happy, even if Katie was stuck in her books most of the time. 

You-Know-Who hadn’t yet found out about their marriage, and nor had the Bells or Lux Flint - but that changed in early April, when Katie came home from the school and found her father sitting in their living room, a very nervous Marcus in the kitchen making tea. She took a few steps in, slowly sitting in a chair across from her father and folded her hands in her lap, silent, waiting for her father to speak. 

“So.” His voice came out rough, angry, and Katie resisted flinching back as she’d done so often as a child. “You married. Without my permission.” 

“With respect, Father, I am of age,” Katie said simply, clenching her hands together to keep them from shaking. He looked down at her, his own hands tapping hard on the armrest of the couch. “I am happy, father. Why can’t that be enough?” 

“How can you be happy with the Flint boy?” He hissed at her, as the man in question came out of the kitchen, carrying three mugs. He said nothing, setting them in front of both his wife and father in law, before sitting himself down in the only other spare chair. “He will coerce you into joining  _ them _ , and you’ll be killed before your next birthday. Your mother will go spare if that happens to you.” 

“And she isn’t here because she is utterly distraught, am I right?” Katie snapped at her father, rising partially from her chair. “Mother has been displeased with me since I joined the Gryffindor quidditch team, in fact she’s barely spoken to me. I can’t see her caring now, can you?” 

Ambrose Bell looked taken aback at his daughter speaking to him like that, and he stood up from his own chair. “Well.” He looked from his daughter to son in law, hatred clear on his face. “If this is what you choose - potential death and a sure early widowhood - then you chose it on your own. Your mother and I will have nothing more to do with you.” 

“Then you can get the hell out of my house,” Katie said, straining to keep her voice steady as the man who raised her stormed out, slamming the front door behind him. Shaking, she sank back into the chair, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around her abdomen. A hand touched her back, and she looked over to see Marcus standing behind her, a sad look on his face. “I’d hoped,” Katie said, after a while, “that once we were married and he saw there was nothing he could do about it, he’d accept it.” Marcus said nothing,  he only smiled at her sadly as she went on. "And mother - I'm sure this is really her doing. She hasn't been pleased with me in years."

“Really over quidditch?” 

Katie took a minute, then shook her head. “No. Over me being in Gryffindor, I think. Mum’s brother was in Gryffindor, and he died young, joining the aurors. She acted okay with it, but as time went on-” 

“I see,” Marcus stated, sitting on the armrest next to her. “They aren’t your only family anymore, and if you want nothing more to do with them, that’s okay. You and I can be the only family we need.” 

Katie could barely force a smile. 

Her days were spent with Madame Pomfrey, going over the things she’d need to know to help Marcus immediately - the cruciatus aftermath protocol, healing bruises and cuts and broken bones - the simple things, the things she hoped she wouldn’t have to do. And as weeks wore on, she hadn’t - yet. 

But when the dark lord found out his new spy had married - and was living in a Dumbledore’s home - he was understandably unpleased. Marcus came home that night shaking, and all Katie could do was fix him a cup of tea and send him to bed, finding herself awake long after he’d fallen asleep, just watching his chest rise up and down in his peacefulness.

Soon after that night, the nightmares began. Marcus would toss and turn in his sleep, and when Katie would wake him up he’d simply cling to her, not saying a word about what his dreams were - only saying he needed her. 

She brought home dreamless sleep potions, but even that didn’t help, not after awhile. His body became used to them, and eventually the potions would leave him trapped in the dreams, and so he stopped taking them. 

By the time summer rolled around and Katie finished the first portion of her training - and was given three months off - Marcus was almost a different man entirely. He was thinner, dark circles permanent under his eyes and exhaustion plain on his face. Katie tried everything she could to help him, but it felt like her husband was slipping away. 

The one thing she never feared was him turning to the dark lord’s side for real - that wasn’t Marcus. She knew he’d been forced to do things, things he wouldn’t speak of, but none of that was his decision. On the days he’d come home after such meetings, Katie would curse the headmaster silently, blaming him for all of this. He would have been able to get Marcus away from all of this if he’d tried - but instead the old man had chosen to use him, to use them and their love - and destroy Marcus completely. 

July fled by, with limited death eater meetings as Marcus and Katie planned their Paris trip. There was a dark wizard headquarters there that Marcus had to ingrain himself in, to bring them over to you-know-who’s side, and their leader - a man named Dorian Bernard - was his main goal. 

But that would be his days - the nights were theirs. So they planned visits to see the sites - Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, several restaurants that were muggle run but claimed to have the best food. 

The night before they were to leave for Paris proved to be a bad one. 

Marcus didn’t get home until nearly three am - and when he flooed in, he was covered in blood. He collapsed into Katie’s arms, who’d been waiting for his arrival - and somehow, the thin girl managed to get her husband into their bed, somehow managed to support his weight. 

Several spells later he was cleaned, in dry clothes, and tucked into bed - but still shaking from the pain. She laid down next to him, having given him a pain potion and they laid there, waiting for it to kick in. 

“I can’t take this,” Marcus groaned, as a spasm wracked through his body. “I want it to stop.”

Katie rested her head on his shoulder. “I know, love,” she murmured. “I wish I could help.” He groaned again, and Katie felt tears well up in her eyes. This - this was the worst part of the healer training. If it weren’t for that, she could call for Madame Pomfrey and not have to be here for this - but she’d made a promise, not only to Marcus but to herself, and if Marcus could be strong enough to bear the pain - then she could be strong enough to witness it and get him through it. 

Neither of them slept much that night. Marcus was in and out of consciousness, the pain potion not working properly due to the fact he’d been using them too much lately - and even after he’d fallen asleep, Katie was wide awake, dreading falling asleep and being jerked awake. 

By the time eight am rolled around and it was time for them to get up for the trip to Paris, Katie’s entire body was heavy, her brain sluggish as she gathered their things and put them in the charmed trunk. Marcus stayed in bed while she got everything ready, including breakfast, and then they were finally on their way. 

Marcus leaned heavy on her throughout the day, and by the time they got to the inn they were to stay at, both of them were exhausted to the point they collapsed into bed immediately and went to sleep, their plans for the evening be damned. 

They didn’t wake up until nearly midnight, and Katie fixed a quick meal for them both before they went back to sleep. 

The next morning Marcus headed out to Bernard’s home, leaving Katie in their room by herself. So she took the day to organize their things - they’d be here a month, after all, so she didn’t want to live out of the trunk the entire time. By the time Marcus got back later that day, the trunk was completely unpacked and everything was put away in drawers and on the shelves - Katie had made sure to bring enough books to last her the long days. While she wasn’t an avid reader like other people were, she did enjoy a book every now and then, and there was really nothing else for her to do. Marcus spoke french but she didn’t, so if she were to go out on her own and get lost, she had no way to ask for directions, and no guarantee there would be a safe apparation point. 

They went out for dinner, and explored a bit before going back to the inn. It wasn’t until they were laying in bed that Marcus told her about his day. 

It turned out Dorian Bernard was a hard man to contact. He’d spent the day being passed around from assistant to assistant, only actually getting to talk to Bernard for half an hour before the man sent him home. He’d promised to meet up with Marcus the next day, but only if his “lovely young wife” joined them. 

“I’m not sure I want you around him,” Marcus confessed. “The man has an air about him that is - certainly unpleasant. I don’t want him to hurt you.” 

Katie smiled at her husband. “I’ll be okay. If he will only meet with you if I join, then why shouldn’t I? If you don’t get him on you-know-who’s side you’ll be punished. I think I can handle one dinner for your sake, don’t you?” 

Bernard wasn’t what Katie expected. He was an older man with a shaved head and piercing blue eyes that seemed to look straight into your soul. He sat at the head of the table and had arranged for Katie and Marcus to be seated on either side of him as dinner was served. Silence filled the dining room as they finished the first course, before Bernard turned to Katie. 

“You are Ambrose and Kalia Bell’s daughter?” His voice was gruff as he reached for his wine glass, raising his eyebrows at her. 

Katie reached for her own, taking a sip before speaking. “Yes sir.” 

Bernard laughed. “No need to call me sir, my dear. I knew your father - we were at Hogwarts together, in fact, both Slytherins.” He finished his glass and tapped on the table, a house elf apparating in and refilling it before disappearing again. “We’d had an agreement back then, if I were to have a son and he a daughter, or vice versa, they would wed.” Katie’s stomach twisted with nerves. “Unfortunately, I was never granted a wife nor a child, but I feel as if I should honor our agreement in any case.” 

“I’m not sure I understand,” Katie said nervously, looking over at Marcus. 

“Well, it is quite simple.” Bernard finished his second glass of wine, but simply set it down this time. “I understand, Marcus, your father passed in Azkaban, and your mother is unwell.” Marcus only nodded. “I find myself in need of an heir, and as you have married my old friend’s daughter, I believe I shall name you both my heirs in case of my demise. How does that sound?” 

Marcus and Katie only stared at him, openmouthed. 


	4. Chapter 4

It seemed like the month spent in Paris flew by. Bernard invited them to dinner nearly every night, and talked their ears off about his Hogwarts days with Ambrose Bell. Katie felt a little awkward during these conversations. She’d attempted to explain to Bernard her father didn’t want to associate with her due to who she’d married - but this news only seemed to encourage him. What he intended with them, neither Katie nor Marcus knew, nor would he say. 

Marcus continued his mission, and two weeks into their trip, Bernard invited him to a party held at his house. Katie was invited, of course, but she declined the invitation after learning it was the french death eaters meeting up. She stayed awake in the inn until well past five in the morning, when he finally came in, staggering and smelling like drink, but satisfied. 

“He’s agreed to come back to England with us,” he gushed, sitting next to Katie on the bed, attempting to take off his shoes and nearly falling over in the process. “He’ll be leaving next week to go on a short trip before having a meeting with the Dark Lord, which gives us that time to ourselves.” 

“That’s great,” Katie yawned, getting out of bed and heading into the bathroom. By the time she came out, Marcus had managed to get one shoe off. She sighed and untied the other, pulling it off and throwing it into the corner before climbing back into bed. “Just sleep in your clothes,” she mumbled, pulling the blanket over her head to block out the light. There was rustling sound, and then the room went dark, Marcus wrapping her into his arms and burying his face into her hair. “What?” 

“I love you,” Marcus declared, holding her tighter. “Just thought I should tell you.” 

“Uh huh,” Katie muttered, yawning. “I love you too, now shut up and sleep.” 

The next morning they had a letter from Bernard, asking Marcus to come for dinner. “You were gone all last night,” Katie complained. “Nights were supposed to be ours, Bernard agreed, and you’re going to be gone for breakfast too-”

“Kate.” Marcus was rubbing his temples. “You know I have to go. I’d bring you with me  if I could, but the invite was for death eaters only and we agreed you’d stay out of those types of meetings.” 

“There’s just nothing for me to do,” she sighed. “I’ve read all the books we brought, and I’ve written Poppy for reading material, but I’ve not gotten a response.” 

“She’s probably busy, give her time,” Marcus said firmly, slipping his shoes on. He stood, looking at his wife. “Relax, my love. It won’t be for much longer. Bernard goes on his trip tomorrow morning, so today’s the last day. Can you manage by yourself for one more day?” 

Katie agreed, despite not having much of a choice, and Marcus left, promising to bring her back something to eat. She lounged around, deciding around noon to write a letter. 

_ Dear Mother,  _

_ As I am sure Father has told you, I am married now, to Marcus Flint. He and I have, as you know, been together for quite some time, and upon my graduation from Hogwarts, agreed it was time. We rent a house in Hogsmeade, but we’ve currently gone on a trip to France.  _

_ Mother, it’s beautiful here. We’ve been to see all the magical sights, and we’ve even visited some of the muggle ones. If I spoke French it would be even better, but it is what it is.  _

_ I wish I knew you were going to respond to this, but I’m positive it will be going in the trash immediately upon arrival, but I had to say this.  _

_ I am happy. Marcus and I are happy.  _

_ And I love you.  _

_ Your daughter,  _

_ Katie _

She put the letter aside just as Sage swooped in, a response from Poppy in his talons. She took it from him and unfolded the letter. 

A moment later, it fell to the floor. 

It was hours before Marcus came back, whistling as he opened the door, but he froze when he saw Katie’s face. “Kate? What’s happened?” 

She held up the letter. “Dumbledore’s dead.” 

Marcus went completely white, gripping the back of a chair. “How?” he asked, his voice coming out strangled. 

“Some kind of curse, Poppy said. She wasn’t entirely sure it was him; they found a body burnt in his office and had to run spells on it. They found a ring emitting dark magic nobody’s ever seen before on his hand, so they’ve had it sent to Gringotts for testing, to William Weasley to be exact.”

Marcus slowly sat down, burying his face in his hands. When he spoke again, his voice was barely audible. “They’re sure it was his body?” Katie nodded, and Marcus stood back up rapidly, picking up a book sitting on the dresser and flinging it across the room. “Fuck!” He bent over, breathing hard. “This - just - this isn’t happening.” He looked up at Katie, tears just barely leaving his eyes. “How can we stop the dark lord without Dumbledore?” 

“We have other people,” Katie said, struggling to keep her voice calm as she walked over to him, standing behind him and wrapping her arms around his midsection. She pressed her cheek against his back. “McGonagall, for one. We’ll kill that bastard one way or another, Marcus.” 

_ _ _ _ _ _ 

Their trip back to their home in Hogsmeade the next week was a near silent one. Neither of them had too much to say to each other, both attempting to process what had happened and what would happen in the future. Marcus had to go meet up with the death eaters immediately upon getting their things settled, and so Katie made her way up to the castle. 

Pomfrey was in her office, slowly going through her stash of potions, and turned when she heard the door open. Spotting Katie, she walked over and wrapped the younger girl into a hug, releasing her after a moment and gesturing for the two of them to sit down at her desk. Katie blinked, almost seeing Dumbledore sitting there as he had the day he’d asked her to start her healer’s training. 

“When’s the funeral?” Katie asked after a long silence. 

“Tomorrow,” the matron said, shifting papers on her desk and digging out an edition of the Daily Prophet. “You two came home just in time. They’ve been delaying it for a week because of the uncertainty - eight separate people have had to perform the genetics spell on the body before Fudge would believe it, and even still he kept pushing off the funeral until Aberforth put his foot down and insisted.” 

“I still don’t understand how he died,” Katie said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Your letter was a bit confusing.” 

“We don’t know, exactly. I’ve never seen anything like it. His body was completely burnt up, but nothing around him was even touched, not even his clothes. The magic coming off the ring he wore was the only clue, but Mr. Weasley in the curse breaker’s office is no closer to figuring out the dark magic.” 

Katie chewed on the inside of her cheek. “What happens now?” she asked quietly, with a glance toward the door. Pomfrey got the hint and cast a privacy charm. “With the order, who’s in charge with - with Dumbledore dead?” 

“It’s -unclear,” Pomfrey said slowly. “Professor McGonagall would be the obvious choice, but she is going to be busy this year attempting to keep Hogwarts going once it hits the press that Albus was found here. Alastor Moody is the second choice, but the man isn’t stable after the events of the year before last.” 

Katie closed her eyes, feeling tears burn. She wasn’t grieving for Dumbledore himself, exactly; she barely knew the man, and what she did know about him she didn’t really like. His death, however, would change the tide of the war, and she could only hope it continued in the direction that would lead to you-know-who’s demise. She stood, pushing her chair back. “I’ll be back in the morning,” she said finally. “Marcus should be home soon and he’ll have news from -” She didn’t have to say; Pomfrey gave her a short nod. 

Despite what she’d told Pomfrey, Katie didn’t immediately rush home. She took a detour to the entrance to Dumbledore’s office and stood there for a long moment, staring at the gargoyles that blocked the passageway. Albus Dumbledore would never come down those steps again. SHe shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. 

“Mrs Flint?” She turned to see McGonagall walking in her direction. “May I help you?” 

“I’ve just been to see Madame Pomfrey,” Katie explained. “She - well, I know,” she finished lamely, but McGonagall seemed to know what she meant as tears welled up in the transfiguration professor’s eyes. The older woman gestured to the gargoyles, who moved aside, and she started up the stairs, stopping on the third to motion Katie to follow her. Katie did, trying not to be obvious about the fact she didn’t want to go up there. 

“Mrs Flint, this was marked for your husband,” McGonagall said when they’d gotten into the office, passing her an envelope that had been sitting on the desk, and indeed, there was his name in neat script. “It has not been unopened; a compulsion charm on it makes the person attempting to read it put it down and leave the room. I can surmise from that only Mr Flint has the ability to read it.” Katie put it in her pocket and turned to leave, but stopped when McGonagall said her name. “Before he passed, Albus told select members of the Order what your husband is doing.” Katie turned back. “I am proud of him, and of you. You both are being very brave.” 

“Thank you, Professor,” Katie managed through a closing throat, and she quickly left the head’s office, wanting to clear her head on the walk home before having to see Marcus. 

When she did get home, Marcus was already there, asleep on the couch. She tried not to wake him, but the shutting door jolted him awake and he stared at her in slight confusion as he tried to make sense of the sudden consciousness. “How was Hogwarts?” he asked, when he’d processed everything. 

Katie mutely passed him the envelope. “Dumbledore’s funeral is tomorrow, did you want to go?” 

Marcus stared at the envelope for a moment before looking up at her. “I’ve been ordered to go, unfortunately. Even the dark lord is unsure how Dumbledore died, and he wants me to stay aware of the investigation.” 

“What would you find out at the funeral?” Katie wondered, going into the kitchen and rummaging through the cupboards. “It’s not like they’re going to be telling everyone how he died at his funeral. I don’t even think they’ll be able to show the body; from what I understand it was completely unrecognizable.” She found a can of peaches and came to sit next to Marcus on the couch. “What does the other side know, anyway?” 

“Nothing,” Marcus informed her. “All they know is his body was found in his office. They don’t even know the state of it.” 

“That’s good,” Katie said around a mouthful of peaches. “I suppose that means it wasn’t one of them?” 

“If it was a death eater they aren’t confessing, and I quite think they would,” Marcus said, dropping his head into Katie’s lap. “The dark lord’s pleased and would surely reward the murderer if they come forward.” 

“Well, maybe our side could figure out what killed him and use it to our advantage.” Katie leaned her own head against the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling. “You know,” she mused. “It is rather strange that he died so suddenly and without warning. He wasn’t even missing, so it happened rather quickly.” 

“We’ll find out eventually.” Katie looked down at him, not quite believing it, and Marcus went on. “I suppose I should read this letter now, eh?” He sat up again, tearing the seal and unfolding the letter, reading it silently before passing it to Katie. 

_ Marcus and Katie -  _

_ Cliche this will be, but if you are reading this, I am dead. I am dead, I hope, in the progress of weakening Voldemort so that he can be killed. This isn’t how I intended to pass this information to others, but if it dies with me, he will never be able to be killed.  _ Katie looked up at Marcus, who gestured for her to continue.  _ Voldemort, who was known in his youth as Tom Marvolo RIddle, has created something called a Horcrux, which is an object in which a piece of his soul is concealed. In fact, he’s created more than one. I am leaving this evening to destroy one, a ring that belonged to Marvolo Gaunt. However, I have no idea of what the others could be, or even how many there are, and this is worrisome. I’ve left a collection of memories in my pensieve locked with a password.  _

_ Horace Slughorn has the key to one of them, and if the worst happens this evening, I need one of you to try and convince him to give up the true memory. He will know what is meant by those words.  _

_ This information  _ must _ go to Harry Potter. He and he alone has the chance of killing Voldemort, and he must be given every clue possible for the task.  _

Katie stopped reading, looking up at Marcus in horror. “He’s immortal?” she croaked. 

“No, he’s mortal,” Marcus said, taking her hands in his and squeezing them as Katie’s breath caught in her throat in fear. “These - these horcruxes are objects. There is every chance they can be destroyed. Dumbledore said he was going to get one the night he wrote this - a ring?” 

“The ring that was on his hand,” Katie breathed, remembering. “They - Pomfrey said it was emitting dark magic still. He didn’t destroy it.” 

“We will,” Marcus said firmly, giving her hands another squeeze. “We will find a way. The dark lord won’t be around forever. We will end him.” 


	5. Chapter 5

They planned on slipping out of the funeral before anyone could stop them and went up to the head’s office, having already told McGonagall they needed to go check on something. She’d hesitated but allowed it, insisting they keep her up to date on everything. It was their turn to hesitate; they had orders to tell young Harry, but McGonagall too? 

They were just about to slip away from the crowd when Katie spotted Harry seated with the Weasleys, and she hesitated, nudging Marcus’ arm. He turned to see what she wanted, and he too saw the boy who lived. “I don’t know,” he said softly. 

“Dumbledore wanted him to know,” Katie whispered back, aware McGonagall had her eye on the two of them. “We could learn together what everything’s about.” 

Marcus looked at her for a moment, and sighed. “Fine,” he hissed. “If you can get him away from the Weasleys, meet me up in the head office.” Marcus left, and Katie watched him weave through the crowd for a minute before turning back to look at Harry and the Weasleys. With a small inhale, she braced herself for the following conversation, and made her way over, stopping just beside the twins. 

The large group of redheads turned and saw her, Fred and George pulling her into a hug. She hugged them back for a moment but pulled away, looking at Harry. “Potter, could you come with me please?” Harry nodded and started in her direction, but Mr. Weasley stopped him, putting an arm out in front of the younger boy. 

“Prove you are who you say,” the man declared, and Katie looked at him in understanding. She looked back at Fred and George. 

“We went back to the Hogshead after I married Marcus, and Aberforth gave us a private room. While we were up there, you two had an argument over who Angelina found more attractive, and Marcus ended the argument by reminding you that you are identical twins, and the only difference is your personalities, and that even they are nearly identical.” 

Fred and George looked at each other, grinning, before nodding at their father. He dropped his arm, and Harry took a step forward, still seeming uncertain. 

“Harry,” Katie said gently. “You don’t have to come with me, but there is information Dumbledore wanted us to have.” The dark haired boy gave a determined nod, bid goodbye to the Weasleys, and followed her, all the way to what had been Dumbledore’s office. 

“What are we doing here?” Harry asked softly. Katie just looked at him and went up the stairs. It took a moment, but she could hear him follow her up finally. Pushing open the door, she saw Marcus sitting in a chair he’d conjured, the pensieve already sitting on the desk. He looked up when they entered. 

“Are you guys ready?” He asked, gesturing towards the basin. Harry looked at it curiously. 

“What’s in there?” Harry asked, taking a tentative step forward. 

“It’s called a pensieve. It holds people’s memories for outside viewing,” Katie explained. “This one has some of Dumbledore’s memories - memories he wanted us to see.” 

“What are they?” 

“We don’t know yet,” Marcus said calmly. “We decided it would be easier for you to join us, rather than explain it all later. If you’d rather wait out here you can do that too.” 

But Harry took a deep breath, seeming to steel himself before agreeing. Marcus and Katie looked at each other, holding hands, before sticking their heads in the basin and falling down, landing outside a home that had seen better days. With a shock, Katie realized there was a snake pinned to the front door. She turned to see a man standing next to them, a short plump man wearing a strange outfit. 

Suddenly a man jumped down from a tree, startling them all, The first man jumped backward, as the one who’d come down from the tree let out a hissing noise. Katie looked at him curiously. 

“Er - good morning. I’m from the Ministry of Magic,” the plump man stated, and the other hissed again. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand you.” 

“He’s perfectly understandable,” Harry muttered, and Katie looked at him in surprise. 

“You can understand him?” she whispered, and Harry nodded, confused. “He must be speaking parseltongue, then,” she stated, eyeing the snake on the door again with disgust. 

A third man had left the home and was standing in front of them. “Morfin!” he barked, and the rather dirty man took a step back. “Ministry, is it?” said the older man, looking down at the chubby man, who was now on the ground. 

“Correct!” he said angrily, glaring at the two men. “And you, I take it, are Mr. Gaunt?”

 “S’right,” said Gaunt. “Got you in the face, did he?” 

“Yes, he did!” snapped the first man. 

“Should’ve made your presence known, shouldn’t you?” said Gaunt aggressively. “This is private property. Can’t just walk in here and not expect my son to defend himself.”

Marcus looked as if he agreed with the statement if not the actions, as the argument continued. 

The rest of that particular memory sped by, a fourth person, a woman, who looked oddly familiar, was in the cottage but seemed to be ignored mostly by the men, until they demanded things of her. 

It was a shock when the old man grabbed his daughter by her necklace, dragging her over despite her choking, and declared at they were descendents of Slytherin himself. 

“Doesn’t the dark lord claim to be descended from him?” Marcus murmured to Katie, who shrugged absentmindedly, watching the scene before her eyes. It appalled her, the state these people lived in. Their very home was caked in mud, and the poor girl, Merope, according to her father, blended in well with it. 

The sound of horses silenced the arguments still going on inside, and the voice of a girl rang out in the quiet. “My God, what an eyesore! Couldn’t your father have that hovel cleared away, Tom?” 

“It’s not ours,” responded a second voice, a man’s. “Everything on the other side of the valley belongs to us, but that cottage belongs to an old tramp called Gaunt, and his children. The son’s quite mad, you should hear some of the stories they tell in the village —” The girl laughed. 

As Morphin made fun of his sister, who apparently had some kind of feelings for the male on the horse - Harry rapidly translating the parseltongue - Katie wondered what was here Dumbledore had wanted them to see. But when the father attempted to strangle the daughter again and the first man ran for his life, the memory ended. Marcus gestured to the sky, and they exited the memory, staring at each other in utter confusion. 

“Who were those people?” Katie breathed, sinking into the armchair Marcus had conjured earlier. “I don’t know any of them. Are we completely sure that was one of the memories Dumbledore wanted us to see?” 

Marcus shrugged, conjuring two more chairs; none of them wanted to sit in Dumbledore’s. “I know the name Gaunt - They were an old pureblood family. They died out though, Marvolo Gaunt was sent to six months in Azkaban for attacking muggles, and died shortly after being released.”

“Did - did you say Marvolo?” Harry looked at him in surprise. Marcus nodded, furrowing his brow. 

“Wait.” Katie looked at the males. “Tom - Tom Marvolo Riddle. That’s what Dumbledore said you-know-who’s name was, wasn’t it?” 

“Yeah,” Harry said. 

“How’d you know about them?” Katie asked curiously, looking at her husband. 

Marcus shrugged. “I did research on Azkaban when I was a kid, I wanted to learn more about where my dad was. They were mentioned in a list of known prisoners, having been in and out several times. I don’t know, the names stuck with me I guess.” Harry raised his eyebrows at the mention of Marcus’s dad, but he said nothing, looking back at the pensieve. 

“So the Gaunts are related to Voldemort somehow,” he said finally. Katie nodded absently, having summoned parchment and  a quill off Dumbledore’s desk and taking notes, writing down the things that had seemed important in the memory. She paused suddenly, looking at her own words. 

“Marcus.” 

“Yes Katie?” 

She looked up at her husband. “That ring Marvolo showed the other man - it seemed - familiar somehow.” 

Marcus looked thoughtful, tapping his fingers on the side of the armchair. “You’re right,” he said after a moment, looking up at her. “But where have we seen it before?” 

“I don’t know,” Katie said softly, finishing off her notes and rising. “I have a bit of research to do, I think, later, but for now, we should at least attempt to finish off these memories.” 

Marcus agreed, using his wand to remove the memory and store it in a glass bottle, before picking up the next bottle off the shelf. 

This one was just the memory of a man, talking about the locket they’d seen in the first memory, of how he’d bought it off a woman several years ago who’d been heavily pregnant and needed the gold. 

“Do you suppose it was that girl?” Katie questioned, when they once again were sitting in Dumbledore’s office. “The Gaunt girl?” She was frustrated. Without Dumbledore to explain the meaning behind these specific memories, it felt like they were grasping at straws. 

“Might have been,” Marcus said. Harry shrugged, as if he didn’t know one way or another. “Why is this locket so important?” 

Katie looked at him in horror. “Dumbledore’s telling us something,” she said. “Remember the letter?” Marcus nodded slowly, looking confused, before he suddenly paled. “It’s one of them.” 

“One of what?” Harry asked curiously, and it was then Katie and Marcus explained about the letter, Katie pulling it out of her pocket and handing it to the boy who lived to read it himself. When he’d finished, he too looked pale. “You think this locket is one of those - horcruxes?” He looked back down at the letter. “He was trying to destroy a ring.” 

Katie clapped her hands together, shocking both Marcus and Harry. “That’s it!” she declared. “McGonagall showed us a liking of the ring that they found with Dumbledore’s body this morning, that’s why that ring looked so familiar.” 

“So that’s at least two he created?” Harry said slowly. “But Dumbledore didn’t get to destroy the ring did he? Bill said they weren’t any closer to figuring out the dark magic behind that ring.” 

“How many did he make?” Katie asked, frustrated again. “Why did Dumbledore have to keep all this secret for so long? He should have told  _ somebody _ so we weren’t left guessing after his death.” 

The next memory seemed to be Dumbledore’s own; he led them through an orphanage, where they met a young Tom Riddle. When they left this memory, Katie was shaking so bad she barely made it to the chair before her legs collapsed underneath her. 

“You know,” she said, even her voice shaking. “I always knew - knew that he’d been a kid once. But - he was never really innocent, was he?” She thought back to what that woman - Mrs Cole, she believed - had said. “Torturing kids, killing rabbits...” 

“She said she had no proof that’s what happened,” Marcus said, but Katie could only shake her head. “I find it sad though. What do you suppose he would have been like if his mother had survived to raise him?” 

“Do you mean if he’d had a mother, would he have still been evil?” Harry questioned, raising his eyebrows. Marcus shrugged. “I wonder that too.” 

“Such a cold child,” Katie murmured, looking back at the pensieve in disgust. “How could a ten year old  _ be  _ that cold?” 

“I don’t know,” Marcus stated, putting his hand atop hers. She heaved a sigh. 

“Are we ready for the rest?” She looked at the remaining five vials, and Marcus nodded sharply, rising and switching out the memory. 

The next one showed Tom Riddle again, older now, visiting one of the men from the first memory they’d seen - his uncle, Morfin. As they discussed his sister, the dark lord’s mother, Katie watched his face. He didn’t show much emotion, she noted, even when he learned his grandfather was dead and his father was still alive. When the memory went dark, Katie looked at Marcus in shock. But her husband just shrugged, and they got ready for the next one. 

The fifth memory was Slughorn’s. Katie was surprised to see him, despite knowing he was an older man; she hadn’t realized he’d taught the dark lord himself however. 

She wasn’t shocked, however, when after all the other students left, the young dark lord walked up to Slughorn and questioned him about Horcruxes. He’d had to get the knowledge somewhere, after all, What was surprising, however, was the way the memory darkened and the sound muffled, the way Slughorn screamed at the young dark lord to get out of his office and never to speak of them again. 

“Why was that so odd?” Harry questioned, as they came out of the pensieve. “The ending to that one was strange, wasn’t it?” 

“I don’t think that’s the real memory,” Marcus said calmly, crossing his arms in thought. “The rest were clear as day, and the way that one muffled - I think Slughorn tried changing it, and that’s why Dumbledore said we’d need to speak to him. Probably to get the real one.” 

Katie shook her head and heaved a sigh. For the dozenth time, she wondered why the accursed headmaster hadn’t just left a memory of him telling them what they needed to know instead of all these memories that didn’t mean too much to them without a background to go along with them. “We’ll mark that on our to - do list,” she muttered, glancing at her watch. They’d been in Dumbledore’s office for nearly two hours, and she was sure someone would be wondering where they were soon, if they weren’t already. “Let’s hurry up and get through those three,” she said after a minute, nodding towards the vials. 

The next two felt random. One was an older woman and her house elf, showing an older Tom Riddle her two precious items - a goblet belonging to Hufflepuff, and that same locket with the S emblazoned on it. The second was of Tom Riddle - older, paler, and wanting the job of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He was denied by Dumbledore, but Katie didn’t miss the undertone to the conversation - he was already going by that dreaded name. 

“One left,” Marcus said, sounding unhappy. Katie could guess why, she’d seen the red tint to his eyes, and knew he’d slowly been becoming the dark lord they knew, that he knew more than her, anyway. 

When they entered the pensieve this time, Katie was shocked to see a second Marcus standing in Dumbledore’s office, his clothes soaked and his face bruised, his lip busted. Harry furrowed his eyebrows, looking at the older Marcus in slight surprise. Marcus had pursed his lips together and his grip on Katie’s hand was tight, and she felt fear grow as she watched his face. “Do you want to wait this one out?” she whispered to him, and he nodded sharply, leaving Harry and Katie in the pensieve alone. 

“What’s going on?” Harry asked Katie, and she bit her lip, about to speak, as Dumbledore entered the office. 

“Mr. Flint. I am so sorry to have kept you waiting,” he said, his voice cold, earning a shocked look from Harry. Katie swallowed, realizing this was when Marcus had gone to Dumbledore for help. But Dumbledore had denied him, hadn’t he? “I do believe I made it clear during our last meeting that you and I had nothing to say to each other?” 

And then Katie remembered; Dumbledore had told her of two separate meetings, the second in which he’d believed Marcus and coerced him into being a spy. Why did they need to see this? 

“Headmaster, please,” Marcus’ voice came out rough, as if he’d been screaming for a long period of time. His eyes were wild, and Katie resisted the urge to go to him and hold him, knowing she’d just pass through the memory version of him. “You’ve got to help me!” 

“I don’t make a point of helping death eaters,” Dumbledore said calmly, and Harry shot Katie a panicked look. Katie just shook her head. 

“You have to hear the rest,” she said gently. 

“Headmaster.” Marcus leaned heavily on the desk, and Katie, who knew her husband well, realized he was barely able to stand and was using the desk as more support, rather than trying to get close to Dumbledore. “He’s going to kill them, you need to stop it!” 

Dumbledore’s eyes flashed. “Who?” His voice was still cold, but there was an undertone of something else - fear, perhaps?

“Malfoy’s cousin, the half blood girl,” Marcus stuttered. 

“Nymphadora Tonks?”

“Yes!” Marcus was breathing hard. “Her, and her parents - tomorrow night if you don’t stop it!” 

“How do I know this isn’t a trap for my people?” Dumbledore questioned him, and Marcus stared at him, mouth halfway open, as if he couldn’t believe Dumbledore  _ wouldn’t  _ believe him. 

“I - I told you, I don’t want this!” Marcus came around to the other side of the desk, dropping to his knees. Dumbledore pulled back away from him. “Please. You’ve got to believe me! I want to - I want out and I can’t get out on my own, they’ll kill Katie-” 

“Miss Bell is quite safe here at Hogwarts, I assure you.” The headmaster looked thoughtful. “What other information can you give me? If I were to believe you, that is.” 

“Am- Amelia Bones, and her family - they’re on his list too, he’s got no plans for them yet but you can move them to safety, and - and - “ He broke off, staring at the headmaster. “Sir, please, if you aren’t going to save me, save them at least.” His voice towards the end was calmer, less desperate. 

“You will wait here,” Dumbledore declared, and walked out of his own office. Marcus stumbled to his feet and made his way to the chair, sinking into it, every limb on his body trembling. 

Harry turned to Katie. “Marcus is a death eater,” he told her. 

“Yes and no,” Katie said. “He - his uncle forced him to get the mark. Dumbledore made plans with him though, and he’s been spying for the Order of the Phoenix since.” She’d just stopped talking when the door swung open again and Dumbledore reentered. 

He didn’t speak, instead just walked up to Marcus and forced him to stand. Marcus nearly fell, but Dumbledore steadied him, jerking his head up and, Katie realized, forcing himself into Marcus’ head. When he was satisfied, he pulled back. “Well,” he said after a long minute. “I think I should welcome you into the order, shall I?” 

When they came out of this memory, it was to a quiet office. Marcus was sitting in his armchair with Katie’s list in his lap, adding to it. He jerked his head up when he saw them. He cleared his throat. “I assume you got all the information you needed out of there?” 


	6. Chapter 6

The three of them sat in Dumbledore’s old office, looking at each other in silence. None of them had words to describe what they’d seen. 

It was McGonagall who broke the silence, entering the office ten minutes after they’d left the last memory. She saw them sitting there, and her eyebrows rose. “Am I interrupting?” she questioned, seating herself behind the desk. 

“Professor,” Harry said, leaning forward. “Is that all Professor Dumbledore left behind?” 

McGonagall pursed her lips together. “Unfortunately, Mr. Potter, it is.” She eyed Marcus and Katie. “You’ve shared everything with Mr. Potter, but I cannot know?” 

“It’s not that we don’t want to tell you, Professor,” Marcus said, his voice rough. “The headmaster didn’t want too many people to have this information.” 

“I don’t see any harm in her knowing,” Harry spoke up, looking over at Marcus. There was a hint of a glare in his eyes, and Katie knew he’d lost his trust in the ex-Slytherin. “After all, if a death eater knows all this, surely someone  _ I  _ know and trust should.” Marcus flinched, but McGonagall looked over at Harry. 

“Mr. Potter. I want it known that Mr and Mrs Flint have my utmost confidence. They are on  _ our _ side. Mr. Flint has in fact saved the lives of many people, your own godfather included. He has every right to learn what Professor Dumbledore wanted him to learn, and he did not in fact have to share any of this with you.” 

“How can you be sure?” Harry asked angrily, shooting Marcus a glare. 

Marcus rose, his hands clenched. “I have to go,” he said quickly, turning and hurrying out of the room. Katie realized you-know-who was summoning him, and she clenched her own hands together. 

“He can’t even stay to defend himself!” Harry added incredulously, and Katie stood up. 

“He is risking his life, did you know that?” she demanded of the boy-who-lived, who flushed. “Do you really think that you-know-who would let him live if he guessed Marus knew  _ half _ of what we just learned?” Harry slowly shook his head, and Katie softened a bit. “I assure you, he’s on our side. Dumbledore asked this of him, otherwise he’d be off hiding somewhere.” She sank back into her chair, looking over at McGonagall. “I suppose Dumbledore trusted you as well, and perhaps you could help us make some sense out of all that.” She gestured to the pensieve. “I am heading home, and I’ll be back tomorrow so we can discuss it.” She turned and left the headmaster’s office. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Marcus didn’t come home that night. Katie spent a portion of it pacing the kitchen, the dinner she’d made and then forgotten about congealing on the stove. 

At ten in the morning an owl pecked at the window and she let it in, thinking it was from Marcus, but no; McGonagall had Harry in her office and the two of them were ready to discuss what they’d learned the previous day. She quickly scribbled two notes - one to McGonagall, asking her to open the external floo, and sent the owl off. The second was to Marcus, letting him know where she went, hoping he’d be home before she came back. 

Ten minutes passed before McGonagall’s head popped through the fire, telling her the way was open. With one last look at her door, wishing Marcus would walk through it, she went through to Hogwarts. 

She wasn’t very surprised to see Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley sitting with Harry, but the presence of a large black dog was a bit of a shock. She stared at it for a minute before looking at McGonagall, a questioning look in her eye.  The older woman just shrugged, conjuring an extra chair for her. 

“Mr. Flint couldn’t join us this morning?” she asked. 

Katie bit her lip. “He hasn’t been home yet,” she confessed quietly, and the other four people stared at her. She held her head up, letting out a soft sigh. “You wanted to speak about the horcruxes?” 

“Shouldn’t you go to the ministry?” Hermione blurted, and Katie just blinked at her. 

“Miss Granger, we don’t know if the ministry has been taken over,” McGonagall stated calmly, sitting behind her desk. “Mr. Flint is bound to contact someone soon. We have important matters to discuss. Mr. Potter said you’ve done some research?” 

“Yes,” the muggleborn said, reaching down into her bag and pulling out a stack of parchment. She put it on the desk, gesturing to it. “I looked up the Gaunt family. It turns out their line ended with a daughter - Merope - who disappeared in 1924.” 

“His mother,” Katie said, and Hermione gave a brief nod. 

“The library also has a record of old newspapers. Mostly the Daily Prophet, of course, and I did look into those. Marvolo Gaunt petitioned the ministry to help him find his daughter but he was denied, and he died shortly after. Morphin Gaunt, his son, confessed to and was convicted later of killing three muggles - Thomas Riddle, Analise Riddle, and Tom Riddle. He died in Azkaban.” 

“He killed Voldemort’s father?” Harry questioned, and Hermione made a face that was uncertain. 

“I think it’s more likely Voldemort himself killed them,” she stated. “You said in the memory he learned about his father from Morphin, and the rest of the memory was dark. I did some research on that too.” She flipped through the sheets of parchment and Katie watched her, impressed. She’d always known the younger girl was smart, but she’d gone above and beyond with only one night of research. Taking a closer look, she saw the bags under her eyes, and realized Hermione had forgone sleep to do her research. “Aha.” She tugged a sheet out and smoothed it out on the desk. “Memories aren’t supposed to go suddenly dark like that. They’re supposed to fade out. The fact this one  _ did _ probably means he was obliviated of whatever followed.” 

“Interesting,” Katie murmured, leaning forward and scanning Hermione’s handwriting. She looked at the girl. “What else did you find out?” 

“That after Voldemort graduated from Hogwarts, he went to work at Borgin and Burkes, was there for several months, right around the time a woman named Hepzibah Smith was killed by her house elf Hokey, or so they thought. It took weeks, but her living family realized that two of her prized possessions were missing. A cup thought to be Helga Hufflepuff’s, and a locket she bought from Caractus Burke, who’d help found Borgin and Burke’s.” 

“You got all this from newspapers?” Ron spoke up, looking at the girl in surprise. She nodded sharply again. 

“I copied a picture of both the locket and the cup for us to reference.” She paused. “Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find out much about horcruxes in general,” she added, in a disappointed tone. “Perhaps if I were to go to one of the darker shops in Knockturn, but they wouldn’t allow me in them, I’m sure.” 

“You’re brilliant,” Harry breathed, looking at the pages Hermione had seemingly copied out of the books. She gave him a brief smile, and Katie sighed, running a hand through her hair. 

“What does all of this tell us?” she questioned, looking at McGonagall. “What are we supposed to do with this information?”

“We have two potential horcruxes,” Harry said, leaning forward. “And I guess we’ve got to contact Professor Slughorn, to find out what the real memory is.” 

“Mr. Potter, you would be the best person to do that,” McGonagall piped up. They looked at her. “I’m sure you’re aware Horace has a certain ... liking, I suppose you could say - for those that have some fame to them.” Harry grimaced, and Ron laughed. “You will let us know when you have that information?” 

“I will,” Harry said, looking at his friends. “Do we have anything else?” 

“I think you should introduce Snuffles,” Hermione told him, and Harry looked at the dog, and then Katie, then back to the dog, giving him a nod. 

A moment later, Katie gasped, moving away from the felon that stood in the dog’s place. 

“Mrs. Flint, he’s on our side,” McGonagall said quickly, realizing Katie had gone for her wand. She slowly lowered it but didn’t put it away, keeping an eye on Sirius Black as McGonagall briefly explained everything - how Peter Pettigrew was the real killer, and how he’d faked his own death in order to frame Black. 

“How do you know he’s not lying?” Katie questioned, looking straight at Harry. 

“Because I’ve seen Pettigrew alive,” Harry said calmly. “He’s the one that resurrected Voldemort.” 

Katie’s “Oh,” came out almost like a squeak, and she settled back in the chair, keeping her wand in her hand. 

“Mrs Flint - I have to thank you,” Black said, stepping forward slowly and holding out a hand for her to shake. She eyed it carefully. “Your husband gave the Order information that saved my life.” He kept his hand out, and she finally reached over and shook it with her free hand. “I wish I could thank him myself.” 

“I’ll pass along the message,” Katie said weakly. She looked at the others in the room. “I - suppose we’ll meet again when we have more information?” she questioned, and McGonagall nodded. 

“I’ll owl you when I know something else,” McGonagall said. 

“The three of us are staying in the castle for the week,” Hermione said. “So we can do research and all. So we’ll probably know more by the time school starts.” 

“If we’re allowed to attend,” Ron said darkly, looking over at McGonagall, who let out a sigh. 

“We don’t know what the next week will bring, Mr. Weasley. Hogwarts has always been safe from he-who-must-not-be-named, but I cannot say how long that will last with Albus gone.” 

“The only one he ever feared,” Hermione murmured, and McGonagall let out a soft agreement. Katie rose from her chair and went over to the fireplace, biding the others goodbye, and flooing home. 

The place was still empty. A glance at the clock told her it was nearly eleven; she’d been gone less than an hour. She went into the bedroom and brought the blankets out to the couch, laid down, and fell asleep. 

When she woke up, it was just after two, and there was someone banging on the door. With a curse she jumped up and made her way to the door, yanking it open. The person on the other side made her blink in surprise. 

“Mr. Bernard,” she said testily, looking at the older man. “How can I help you?” 

“You should come with me,” he said, looking up and down the street before turning back to her. “I’ve got Marcus at my house. He participated in a raid and it - it did not go well.” 

“A raid?” Katie breathed, clutching the door frame for support. “Is he okay?” 

“Just come with me,” Bernard said, holding out an arm for her to grasp. She took a moment, locking the door behind her, before accepting his offer. He disapparated with her, landing in front of the home Bernard was using while in England. A house elf poked his head out, saw his master, and withdrew. Bernard gestured for her to follow and she did, the door shutting behind her. 

They entered a bedroom off to the side of the kitchen, and Katie’s mouth dropped open as she spotted her husband, his death eater robes slick with blood. She rushed over, whipping out her wand and scanning him for injuries. He only had a few, mostly minor cuts, but there was a long gash on his shoulder that was covered by a large bandage. She removed it, screwing up her nose at the smell of fresh blood, and healed it, before proceeding to scorgify the blood off his clothes. He stayed unconscious throughout all of this, and Katie didn’t want to wake him. 

Once he was healed, she jerked her head at the door as a sign to Bernard for him to follow, and in the hall, she turned on him. “What was the raid?” 

“A muggle home in Surrey,” Bernard told her. His eyes lifted up to meet hers. “A family called the Dursleys.” 

“The Dursleys?” Katie questioned. She’d never heard that name before; why would you-know-who have his followers target them? 

“Harry Potter’s family,” Bernard explained, and Katie could only stare as he went on. “They were after Potter, but he wasn’t there. Marcus was in the back of the group keeping guard, but when aurors arrived, he was the first one they saw.”

“And Potter’s family?” 

“Dead. All three of them.” 

Katie sank into a chair, dropping her head in her hands. And she’d seen Harry just a few hours ago and he was oblivious, he didn’t know the last of his family were dead. 

“I don’t know why you’re upset,” Bernard mused, and she looked back up at him. “It’s a good thing, isn’t it, Potter’s family being gone? He’ll be easier to get to. Unfortunately Potter himself wasn’t there.” 

Katie thought quickly. “With his muggle family being dead, Potter’s got no reason to go back to the muggle world. He’ll be in wizard places, all of the time, probably under guard.” She heaved a disappointed sigh, looking up at the older man. “They just made it harder to get to Potter.” 

Bernard looked thoughtful for a minute, then grinned at her. “Won’t be a problem for much longer,” he said cryptically, before a hoarse voice called out from the bedroom, and Katie went in to see her husband. 

Marcus was strong enough to come home later that night, and upon arriving, she put him straight to bed and went into the kitchen, looking through the cabinets for the stash of firewhiskey. She poured some in a glass and downed it, wincing at the taste. 

Of course, Bernard hadn’t explained what he meant, and she hadn’t pressed him. She figured she could later, when she had more time. Marcus came first. He was still out of it, the loss of blood making his head wobbly, or so he tried explaining. 

She downed a second glass. It had been an overlong day, or, rather, an overlong week, and she would be grateful when it had ended. It wouldn’t end, though, she knew, without you-know-who’s death. Until then, people would keep dying and their families wouldn’t even know about it for hours, perhaps days, she realized. Hermione had mentioned they would be staying at Hogwarts until the end of the week, and after that school was starting; had nobody thought to protect Harry’s family while he wasn’t there? 

A third glass had her brain whirling, and she took the fourth glass to the desk and set it down, penning a quick note to McGonagall, letting her know she’d gotten news and wished to speak with her first thing in the morning, and could she please have the floo open by seven? Half an hour later a response was sitting on the desk next to the empty glass, a simple  _ Yes _ written on the parchment. 

She crawled into bed next to her husband, head spinning so fast she felt she was physically going around in circles, and before long, she was fast asleep. 

_ _ _ _ _ 

The next morning she went straight back to Hogwarts, leaving a note on her pillow for Marcus, letting him know where she was and that she shouldn’t be gone long; the floo was open and he could join them if he felt like it. 

She hurriedly relayed the events of the day before to the Transfiguration professor, who paled at the news of Potter’s family’s death. “I - I didn’t even think-” she stuttered. “I thought they would be safe, it’s been no secret Potter and his friends are staying here.” 

“Have you heard from the Ministry yet?” Katie pressed. “Or the board of governors? Do you know for sure you’re going to be appointed headmistress, or are they appointing someone else?” 

“I haven’t heard, so I assume as deputy I will take up the role,” McGonagall said, closing her eyes for a moment, looking at the portraits on the wall. None of the old headmasters had much to say, and hadn’t for the last couple of days, and Dumbledore’s wasn’t ready yet to join them. But one of them spoke up now, a larger witch with a green pointed hat. 

“As deputy you automatically get the position unless there’s a written statement from the board of governors,” the witch said clearly, looking down at the room’s two living occupants. McGonagall nodded to confirm she’d heard. 

“What are you going to do about Harry?” Katie asked, and the older woman shrugged slightly. 

“I don’t know, really. I assume the ministry will come by at some point and tell him of his family’s death, but I rather wish it didn’t have to be them.” She sighed again, tapping her fingers on the desk before straightening her back. “I’ll write to Molly. Potter is rather fond of the Weasley’s, and perhaps she would be the best person to  tell him this news.” 

Katie agreed that would probably be for the best, and she went home, finding Marcus up and about in the kitchen, pasta boiling on the stove. She wrapped her arms around him but he winced, pulling away. “What is it?” she asked quietly. 

He didn’t look at her. “I’m a little sore.” He moved away, draining the pot and setting it on an unlit burner. 

“Marcus-” Katie began, but was interrupted as he let out a hiss, clutching his forearm. “You have to go again, don’t you?” 

He nodded, still not looking at his wife. “I’ll most likely be home late,” he said, and apparated away, leaving Katie standing alone in the kitchen with a half cooked meal. 


End file.
